Red-tail Catfish

The redtail catfish, Phractocephalus hemioliopterus, is a pimelodid (long-whiskered) catfish. In Venezuela it is known as cajaro and in Brazil it is known as pirarara.

Phractocephalus hemioliopterus (red tail catfish) can reach about 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) in length and about 80 kg (180 lb) in weight.

These colorful large catfishes have a brownish back, with yellow sides and characteristic orange-red dorsal fin and caudal fin (hence the common name). It has a pair of barbels on the upper jaw and two pairs on the lower jaw.

The redtail catfish is native to the Amazon, Orinoco, and Essequibo river basins of South America, in Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. It is found only in fresh water and inhabits larger rivers, streams and lakes.Due to the potential large size of this species, redtail catfish are considered a game fish by anglers.It is said that the natives do not eat the meat of the redtail catfish because it is black in coloration. However, the redtail catfish has been hybridized with other fish such as the Tiger Shovelnose Pseudoplatystoma sp.

Through the use of hormones in attempts to create a viable food fish, the Tiger redtail catfish; these hybrid fish sometimes make it into the aquarium hobby under a variety of common names.